Unloading valve



T. E. CROCKETT UNLOADING VALVE Filed Nov.

Aug. 4, 1931 iNvENToR Patented Aug. 4, 1931 uNiTsn stares PATENT OFFICE THOMAS E. CROCKETT, OF TULSA COUNTY, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM H. BLAKLEY AND JAMES R. COLE, BOTH OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA UNLOADING VALVE Application mea November 19, 1930.

My invention relates to unloading valves, primarily for use on compressor lines between check valve and compressor, and generally for other like uses to Which it may be appliechfor relieving the line pressure between the check valve and the compressor When the compressor stops or the line pressure reduced to such a degree that the check valve closes; and consists of an unloading valve adapted to be built as a unit in itself and to be installed in a pipe line with any kind of check valve having a moving valve part; such as a ball valve or a flap valve, and operative either with a horizontal check valve or a vertical check valve or an angle check valve, and positioned in said line so that the check valve may actuate it; or, an unloading valve which may be attached to the check valve itself; or one which may be madeintegral With any style of check valve as aforesaid; and Which is so designed that the operative mechanism in said unloading valve is removed from the passage Way or duct of the pipe line, and shielded from the flow of the fluid thru said pipe line.

Automatic unloading valves for use as aforesaid as now made and used are either centrifugally or electrically operated. My invention resides in providing an automatic unloading valve actuated by a check valve and which is practical to use under temperatures and pressures prevailing` in the general use of such unloading valves.

To provide such a valve in form adapted to be made as a unit for installation on the o conventional check valve or in the pipe line with a conventional check valve; to provide such a valve in manner that either it or the check valve with Which` it cooperates may be replaced Without replacing both valves; to make use of the present check valves; to provide an unloading valve in Which the parts will not Wear excessively; which will not stick, in Which the foreign matter contained in the air will not clog the valve, nor the oil in the air and which is present by reason of passing thru the compressor, will not together with the heat generated by compression, Warp or clog the valve or cause it to 50 stick; to protect the mechanism of the un- Serial No. 496,758.

loading valve as much as possible from the fluid passing thru the pipeline, so as to not subject the valve to unnecessary heat or permit it unnecessarily to gather the foreign substances carried in the air; to provide a means whereby the valve seat may be replaced Without rendering the valve inoperative during the time of replacement; to provide such a valve in uniform size to be affixed to check valves of various sizes and of various types Without having to make and carry an excessive quantity of the check and unloading valve combined; to provide an adlinstable lever arm on the lever of the unloading valve which will permit the check valve and unloading valve to operate in harmony when the tivo are combined; and to combine all of these features to the effect that a practicalunloading valve may be cheaply made, Will Wear Well, and may be cheaply and conveniently replaced.

lVith the above stated and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features herein set forth in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts'thruout the several views:

Fig. l is a vieu7 in longitudinal cross section; of the unloading valve made in unit form adapted to be affixed to any style of horizontal check valve of the conventional form. I

Fig. 2 is a view in lateral cross section of said valve on line A A of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a vieiv in longitudinal cross section of a conventional horizontal ball check valve, Wit-h the unloading valve shown in Fig. l shown in lateral cross section.

Fig. 4 is a view in longitudinal cross section of a conventional horizontal flap valve check, with the unloading valve shown as in Fig. 3, attached thereto.

Fig. 5 is a view in longitudinal cross section of the unloading valve with its body portion-built in a T form of fitting and constituting a conduit fitting on a pipeline to Cil `'member 10 of which it may be aiiixed and connected in the line with aconventional ball check valve of Vthe angle type check valve.

Fig. is a view in end elevation of the unloading valve.

Fig, 7 is a top plan view of the unloading valvelev'er carrying vprimary and secondary valve stops thereon.

1 represents generally the body portion of the unloading valve, 2 the port of the unloading valve, 3 the seat of said port, the same being the primary valve seat, tithe valve for said seat, 5 the secondary seat, the same being concentric with the primary and permanent seat 3, and 6 the secondary valve tor 'said secondary seat 5.

7 represents the valve lever which isfulcruined at one end by a pivot pin 7 aiixed to thebody portion oliV saidunloadi'ngvalve; 8 the tension means, shown as a spring, for

compressing'the valve 4 against its seat 3,-

thus closing the unloading valve when the lever 7 is not being actuated by the check valve; 9 the bent portion ot the valve lever 7, 'and'wi'th said bent portionpositioned substantially in axial alinemcnt with the actuating force of said lever, which said actuating force is the moving valve portion or valve aV cenventinal checlrL valve shown generally at 11. The check valve may be in any of the conventional types such as a horizontal valve as at Figs. 3 and fl, or an Y angle'valve as at Fig. 5, or a vertical check valve which is not shown but isthe same as the check valve shown in Fig. 5, excepting that its outlet is at the top instead of at the side, but with' thev valve and valve seat arranged thes'ame and adapt-ed to actuate the :unloading 'valvev the same as ldoes the angle of the lever, so' that the valvelO may properly actuate the lever 7 when opening the unloading valve, and properly release thelever 7 in closing 'the unloading valve. It isV adyusted by screw connection 13 to the end of the bent portion of thejlever and is adjusted after beth valves are in place with each other 'thru the removable cover of the check valve,

and is usedjo'nly asA a convenience in place of cutting or trimming down the lever to proper length. VVher'e the stem l2 is very long and necessity arises i'or its use,.a stem guide 14 as shown in Figs. l and 3, the same being in the form of' a'disk ora spider guide of conventional design is inserted to prevent lateral play ofthe valve stem when actuated by the valve 10.V

The fea-a 'of uaioiaingvaive bofiysh-O-W-n in Figs.v 1, 3 and Lhis adapted to-'be connected fluid as it passes thru the valve, and notV subjected to the heat of the moving fluid nor to they foreign matter contained in it, and none of the bearings or cont-act portions of the unloading valve are exposed to such effects. Y

The form of unloading valve body shown in Fig. 5, is adapted to be used with an angle check valve ora vertical check valve, and carries with it the same features of protection to Y the unloading valve mechanism against the edect of the flow of the hot gases and the foreign substances carried by the iluid. ln this particular form a part of the unloading' valve body is a member of the pipeline conduit as the luid passes thr'u its duet 16 from the pipeline 17 into the check valve 11. lt is obvious that in this arrangement the duct 16 and the unloading valve duct or chamber 22 is of the conventional pipeline T iitting, and that such a litting could be used and thebody portion ot the unloading valve threaded at the open end and connected inte the stem opening of the T fitting.

lt is also readily apparent that both check Valve and unloading valve `can be made in one body, and the two valves made in one unit. However in the'othe-r form, replacement of one valve without replacement or the other may be made, and moreover the other torni is adaptable for use with the present check valves already in use so that in many instances the one form of unit valves would not serve the purpose of providing an unloading valve independent of the check valve, and kmorecverthe making and carrying of excessive stocks of all sizes and kinds of the combined unit would be avoided by profr the attachable vform of unloading lie screw carrying the port 2 and valve seat 3, A,

with locl; nut 19 on said screw, said screw 18 being threaded into another screw 20 carrying the secondary valve seat 'withl loclmut 21 for said screw. f Thus is provided means for replacing a worn seat 3 without disturbing the operation of the unloading valve, as the secondary seat canjbe screwed down to operatively replace the primary seat, whereupon the primary seat maybe withdrawn by removing Vthe screw 18.

ln operation the unloading valve is placed in communication with the inlet side of the check valve. When fluid is tree'lypassing thru the pipeline, the checklvalve is openfan'd the moving valve member 10 is removed from Contact with the VunloadingV valve 7 or" its ieu constituent member l2, by the force of the iow of the fluid. lVhen that force decreases, the valve l() is caused by gravity to bear upon the lever 7, and as the valve l0 continues to move to its seat the weight of the valve l0 actuates the lever 7 against the tension thereon applied by the tension means or spring 8, and releases the valve 4 from its seat 3 at the port 2, thus causing the unloading valve to unload the pressure in the line between check valve and compressor, and after the valve l0 in the check valve is seated, its weight continues to hold the unloading valve open. v

With the pressure relived in the line, the compressor may then easily start with little load, building up pressure until it is suficient to open the check valve against the back pressure exerted upon it, and when the pressure is suli'iicent, it causes the valve 10 of the check valve to 1aise, releasing the lever 7 and causing the unloading valve to be closed by the pressure oi' the tension member 8 exerted on said lever.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention of an unloading valve wherein the various features embraced are shown, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An unloading valve comprising, a body portion; a valve port in said body portion; a valve port seat 'for said valve port; a lever ulcrumed at one end and pivotally secured within said body portion, and having its power point at its free cnd;a valve positioned on said lever between its fulcrum point and its power point and adapted to engage said valve port seat and close said valve port; tension means for applying tension on said lever in a direction towards said valve port to cause said valve on said lever to close said port when said lever is not subjected to its actuating power, and with the free end of said lever adapted to be engaged by the moving valve portion of a check valve and to be actuated by it in a direction opposed to the tension applied to it by said tension means, to the effect that said valve port is caused to be opened by the power applied by said moving valve portion oit said check valve; means for connecting said unloading valve with said check valve at the inlet side of said check valve,'and with said valve port of said unloading valve communicating with said check valve; means of actuating said lever with the moving valve portion of said check valve, to

cause the valve port of the unloading valve to be open when said check valve is closed.

2. An unloading valve as claimed in claim l; and with the free end of said lever bent to a position substantially in axial alinement with the direction of the power applied to it to cause the unloading valve to open.

3. An unloading valve as claimed in claim l; and with the free end of said lever bent to a position substantially in axial alinement with the direction of the power applied to it to cause the unloading valve to open; and means of adjusting the length of said lever at its free end to adapt it to proper application at varied distances between the valveof the unloading valve and the valve of the check valve.

4., Anunloading valve as claimed inclaim l;v and with the free end of said lever bent to a position substantially in axial alinement with the direction of the power applied to it to cause the unloading valve to open; and means to guide said lever against any lateral play thereof caused by the application of power to said lever.

5. A pipe line conduit member adapted to be connected into a pipeline in proximity with a check valve having a moving valve portion, and on the inlet side of said check valve, and with said pipeline conduit member having t ierein contained an unloading valve adapted to automatically unload thepressure in said pipe line throughfthe action of the moving valve portion of said check valve in moving to its seat; means for substantially shielding the operative mechanism of said unloading valve from direct contact with the flow or fluid through said pipeline conduit member, said unloading valve comprising a valve port; a valve port seat for said valve port; a lever fulcrumed at one end and pivotally secured to said pipeline conduit member and having its power point at its free end; a valve positioned on said lever between its fulcrum and its power point and adapted to engage said valve port seat and close said valve port; tension means for applying tension on said lever in a direction towards said valve port to cause said valve stop on said lever to close said port when said lever is not subjected to its actuating power, and with the free end of said lever bent toa position substantially in axial alinement with the direction of the power applied to it to cause the unloading valve to open, and adapted to be engaged by the moving valve portion of said check valve; and means of actuating said lever with the moving portion of said check valve to cause the valve port of the unloading valve to be open when said check valve is closed.

6. An unloading valve as claimed in claim l; and means of substantially shielding the operative mechanism of said unloading valve from direct contact wth the flow of fluid thru said check valve.

7. An unloading valve as claimed in claim l; and with the free end of said lever bent to a position substantially in axial alinement with the direction of the power applied to it to cause the unloading valve to open; and means for substantially shielding the operative mechanism of said unloading valve from direct contact with the flow of Huid thru said check valve.

8; An unloading valve adapted to beengaged with and actuated by the moving valve portion of a check valve and with said unload.-

- ving va-lve comprising a body portion integral with said cheek valve an unloadingvalve port in said bodyrportion communicatingwith said check valve on its inlet side; a valve port seat 'for said valve port; a lever fulcrum-ed at one i end and pivotallyseenred to said body portion 10 and having its power point at its'free end; a valve positioned on said lever between its fulcrum point and. its power point and adapted to engage said valve port seat and close Y said Val-ve port ;v tension means for applying l5 tension on said lever in a direction towards 'said valve port to cause said valve stop on said rlever to close said port-.whensaid lever is not subjected to its actuating power, and ywith the .free endof Said lever adapted to be vvengaged by the moving valveportion of said ycheck valve and to be actuated by it in a direction-opposed to the tension applied to it by saidtension means, to the effect that said :valve port is caused to be opened by the power applied by said moving' portion of said check valve; means of actuating. said lever with the moving portion of said check valve to cause said valve port of said unloading valve to be open when said check valve is closed.

* 9. An unloading valve adapted to be env- Vg'aged with and actuated by the moving Valve portion of a eheck'valve and with Vsaid unloading valve comprising a body portion inltegral with said check valve, as claimed in i velaim 8; and with the free end of said lever bent Vto a position substantially in Vaxial alinenient with the direction of the power applied to it to causetheunloading valve to open.

10. An-unloadingvalve adapted to be en- *'40 gaged with and actuated by the moving valve portion of a check valve and with said unl'o'ading valve comprising a body portion fintegral with said cheek valve, as claimed in claim 8; and vwith the free end of said lever bent toa position substantially in axial ialinement with the direction of the power applied to it to cause the unloading valve to open; and means ofadjusting the length of 'said lever at its free' end to adapt'it to proper application 'at varieddistances between the unloading valve and the Check valve. j In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature. lTHOMAS E. GROCKETT.- Y 

